Apparatus for treating textile hanks



Aug. 29, 1967 KINJJRO OHASH] APPARATUS FOR TREATING TEXTILE HANKS 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed April 9, 1965 INVENTOR.

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% ATTORNEYS Aug- 29, 1967 KINJIRO OHASHI APPARATUS FOR TREATING TEXTILE HANKS s Shets-Sheet 2 Filed April 9, 1965 INVENTOR. M/xzo Q4/451 ATTORNEYS 29, 1967 KINJIRO OHASHI APPARATUS FOR TREATING TEXTILE HANKS Filed April 9, 1965 3 Sheets-Sheet 5 IN VENTOR. (I NJ/EO ,4445% United States Patent APPARATUS FOR TREATING TEXTILE HANKS Kinjiro Ohashi, 21 Z-chorne, Nagaranishidori, flyodo-ku, Osaka, Japan Filed Apr. 9, 1965, Ser. No. 446,971 11 Claims. (Cl. 68-27) This invention relates to apparatus of treating textile hanks, and more particularly to fully automatic apparatus for subjecting a loop of fibrous strand material to the action of a treating liquid in a timed sequence of steps. The apparatus is particularly suited for carrying out a mercerizing process in the case of cellulose fibers, such as cotton, but is also useful in the treatment of rayon or viscose, staple fiber or multifilament yarn.

It has heretofore been known to effect the mercerization of cotton yarn by first wttting the yarn in the form of a hank with water to facilitate the uniform penetration of a concentrated caustic soda solution, and then, while the yarn is in a stretched condition between two rolls, to apply to the yarn a caustic soda solution of such strength as to effect mercerization of the cotton, followed by neutralization of residual acid by washing, and drying of the yarn.

The present invention is directed to improved apparatus wherein an endless loop of fibrous strand material is suspended by two rolls and driven therearound while being subjected to a treating liquid both by spraying and by immersion, and also while being subjected to alternately applied stretching and relaxing conditions. Means are provided for carrying out these several steps in timed sequence to render the process fully automatic.

An important feature of my apparatus is the provision of upper and lower rolls, with corresponding pairs of the rolls vertically aligned and arranged for relative movement toward and away from each other and with at least one of the rolls of each pair of vertically aligned rolls being driven. All of the rolls are supported from one end in cantilever fashion to facilitate the suspending of an endless loop of the fibrous strand material by movement thereonto over the free ends of the rolls. The relative bodily movement of the upper and lower rolls toward and away from each other makes possible the application of tension to the looped strands to effect stretching thereof, followed by a relaxing of the tension to leave the strands in a slack condition. This alternate tensioning and relaxing of the strand material results in a quicker and more uniformly thorough penetration of the treating liquid into the interior of each of the strands.

Another important feature of my apparatus is the provision of an immersion vessel that is open at one end, and the provision of a fixedly mounted plate on the shaft of the lower roll so constructed and arranged that when the lower roll is relatively lowered into the vessel, the plate automatically closes and seals the open end of the vessel. It is this feature, in combination with the cantilever mount ing of the rolls, that solves the problem of being able to drive the rolls and to move them relatively to each other, and to move the lower roll relative to the immersion vessel to effect an immersion of the strand material in the treating vessel, all without complicated drawing and sealing means. Preferably, the vessel also carries, near its upper open end, means for directing opposed sprays of the treating liquid against both the downwardly and upwardly traveling runs of the looped strand material in a region above the level of the bath of treating liquid that is controllably maintained within the vessel.

It is, therefore, an important object of this invention to provide improved apparatus for the processing of strand material, wherein means are provided for moving an endless loop of the strand material through sprays and also through a bath of a treating liquid while at the same time effecting an alternate stretching and relaxing of the strand material to aid in the penetration into the material of the treating liquid.

It is a further important object of this invention to provide apparatus for the treating of a yarn of cellulosic or other fibrous material in the form of an endless loop, wherein upper and lower driven rolls are arranged in cantilever fashion to facilitate the placing therearound of the looped strand material and means are provided for effecting relative movement of each pair of upper and lower rolls toward and away from each other and of moving of the lower roll relative to an immersion vessel and spray means, whereby said strand material can be alternately subjected to stretching and to release from tension and also subjected to the treating liquid in spray and bath form to insure uniformly thorough penetration of the treating liquid into the material.

Other and further important objects of this invention will become apparent from the following description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which:

On the drawings:

FIG. 1 is a front elevational view of apparatus embodying my invention, with parts broken away and in section and with other parts shown more or less diagrammatically;

FIG. 2 is a sectional view taken substantially along the line IIII of FIG. 1 with parts in elevation and with other parts broken away;

FIG. 3 is an enlarged fragmentary side view of one of the open-ended immersion vessels of FIGS. 1 and 2;

FIG. 4 is a further enlarged vertical longitudinal sectional view, with parts in elevation, of the immersion vessel and the closure means for closing the open end thereof; and

FIG. 5 is a sectional view taken substantially along the line VV of FIG. 4.

In the drawings:

The reference numeral 10 indicates generally apparatus embodying my invention for use in the processing of the fibrous strand material. Said apparatus includes a base 11 having a plurality of posts 12 mounted therein and extending upwardly therefrom. Four of such posts 12 are illustrated, arranged in a rectangle with corresponding pairs of posts equally spaced. Said posts support at their upper ends a stationary platform 13 and serve as guides for an intermediate movable platform 14, and for a lower movable pair of frames 15.

The upper stationary platform 13 (FIG 1) is provided with a pair of bosses 16 and 16a at its back and front sides. Each pair of bearing pillars 16 and 16a provides bearings for a shaft 17 mounted therein and having a forwardly extending portion 18 on which is mounted a roll 19. As illustrated in the drawings, there are two of such rolls 19, each identically mounted as illustrated in FIG. 2 in a cantilever fashion with its free end 20 completely unobstructed and with a collar 91 at the rear end of the roll. Motors 21, suitably mounted on stationary bases 22 serve to rotate the rolls 19 about their own axes. The motors 21 are supplied from a source of electrical power through the lead wires 23 to drive the rolls 19 through intervening driving mechanisms (not shown) but preferably housed within the bases 22.

The intermediate movable platform 14 is provided at its back and front sides with dependent bosses, or bearing pillars 24 and 24a (FIGS. 2 and 4) serving as bearings for a pair of lower shafts 25 that extend therethrough and that lie in vertical alignment with the corresponding pair of upper shafts 17. Each of the lower shafts 25 has a forwardly extending portion 26 that carries a lower roll 27. Like the upper rolls 19, the lower rolls 27 are supported in a cantilever fashion so as to leave their free ends completely unobstructed. In the case of the lower shafts 25, however, the forward ends 26 thereof carry stationary plate-like members 28 supported from the front bosses 24a by means of bolts 29 passing completely through said plates and threaded into said bosses. In the case of the lower rolls 27, the shafts 25 thereof need not be driven and, preferably, are not, but the rolls 27 are freely rotatable upon their coaxially extending shafts. The plate-like members 28 will be more fully described and their function explained later herein.

The lower movable frames 15 are provided at their rear and front sides with enlarged bosses 30 and 30a, respectively, that are bored for mounting on the guide posts 12 for vertical movement. Each of said frames 15, of which there are two, has a web portion 31 that is continuous between the rear and front bosses 30 and 30a. Additionally, the web portions 31 have extensions 32 and 32a projecting inwardly of the bosses 30 and 30a. Corresponding pairs of said extensions have a vessel 33 mounted therefrom. Since each of the vessels 33 is identical, only one thereof need be described.

Each vessel 33 is open at the top, as at 34, and also at one end, as at 35. The vessel may be suitably formed with integral upwardly and outwardly divergent sidewalls 36 merging smoothly downwardly into an arcuate bottom wall 37 and joined at the closed end of the vessel by an end wall 38. The bottom wall 37 is provided with a discharge spout 39, and each vessel is provided near its upper open end with an upper and lower series of spray headers 41 and 41a having connections 40 and 40a, respectively, extending through the sidewalls 36 for attachment of flexible piping or hose (not shown). Said headers 41 and 41a extend substantially the full length of each vessel 33 and are provided with perforations 42 for the discharge of opposed streams or sprays of ,a treating liquid, rinse water or other liquid. Each of the vessels 33 also is provided with an overflow, or discharge conduit 43 for maintaining a predetermined maximum upper level of the treating liquid within the vessel.

The intermediate movable platform 14 is suspended from a piston rod 45 which depends from a cylinder 46 mounted on the stationary platform 13. Said cylinder 46 is provided with upper and lower connections 47 and 48 to a source of hydraulic or pneumatic pressure for operating the piston (not shown) that is attached to the upper end of the piston rod 45 for controlling movement thereof in accordance with fluid pressure admitted through either of the connections 47 or 48. In accordance with the operation of the cylinder 46 and its piston rod 45, corresponding vertical movement of the movable platform 14 and of the lower rolls 27 carried thereby is eifected.

Vertical movement of the lower movable frames 15 is effected in a generally similar manner. For this purpose, a pair of fluid pressure cylinders 49 carried by the projecting end flanges 50 on the intermediate movable platform 14, are provided with upper and lower fluid connections 51 and 52 for actuating a piston (not shown) within each of said cylinders 49. These pistons are connected by means of piston rods 53 to lugs 54 project ing from each of the lower movable frames 15. Nuts 55 and 56 threaded on the lower end of each piston rod 53 above and below the corresponding lug 54 secure such lower end of the piston rod to the corresponding lug and thereby insure positive movement of the movable frames 15 in either direction in accordance with the operation of the cylinders 49, which are actuated in synchronism by being connected through the connections 51 and 52 to a common source of fluid under pressure. It should be pointed out that the piston rods 53 pass freely through the apertures 57 provided for the purpose in the end flanges 50 of said platform 14.

As illustrated in FIG. 1, said platform 14 is at substantially its uppermost position and the lower movable frames 15 are at their lowermost position. Accordingly, when the cylinder 46 is operated to move the piston rod 45 in a downward direction, the intermediate movable platform 14 carrying the lower rolls 27 can be lowered as a unit to increase the vertical distance between the upper rolls 19 and the lower rolls 27. Either simultaneously therewith or separately therefrom, the cylinders 49 can be actuated to move the piston rods 53, and, consequently, the lower frames 15 upwardly to cause relative movement between the vessels 33 and the lower rolls 27 The functions accomplished by these various relative movements will be explained hereinafter.

As previously referred to, the shafts 25 at their forward ends 26 carry plate-like members 28 rigidly secured to the dependent bosses 24a by the bolts 29. As best shown in FIG. 4, sleeves 60 surrounding the bolts 29 serve as spacers between the plate-like member 28 and the corresponding boss 24a to insure the rigidity of the assembly that includes the plate-like member 28. In order to permit relative rotational movement between the shaft end portion 26 and the corresponding plate-like member 28 without leakage, a resilient sealing ring 61, such as an O-ring, is positioned in the annular wall 62 of the bore through which said shaft end portion 26'extends for sealing engagement therewith. Additionally, each plate-like member 28 is provided along its side and bottom edge surfaces with a sealing gasket, or packing, 63 that protrudes beyond the edge surfaces 65 for engagement with the corresponding side and bottom walls 36 and 37 of the vessel 33.

In FIG. 4, the relative movement between said vessel 33 and the corresponding lower roll 27 is at a stage where it has not been quite completed to effect the sealing engagement referred to between the seal 63 and the corresponding inner surface of the vessel 33 to close the end 35 thereof (which would otherwise be open). It will be understood, however, that at the end of the relative movement between the lower rolls 27 and the vessels 33, a complete liquid-tight sealing of the open ends 35 of said vessels is effected by the sealing engagement between the sealing means 63 and the inner surfaces of said vessels. To facilitate the relative closing movement referred to in eifectuating the sealing closure of the open ends of the vessels 33, the walls 36 of said vessels diverge upwardly and the edge surfaces 65 of the plate-like members 28 have similarly contoured upward divergency.

The outlet spouts 39 in the bottoms of the vessels 33' are connected by means of a pipe 95, through which the contents of both vessels 33 can be discharged into a flexible tubing 66. Said tubing '66 is connected at its discharge end to a rotary valve 67, which is indicatedmerely schematically, but which is adapted to be operated either magnetically or by means of cams (not shown) to control the flow of fluid passing therethrough. When the vessels are to be emptied, the valve 67 is operated to discharge the contents passing therethrough into a receiving vessel 68. Said valve 67 also has a fluid connection indicated at 69 for delivering treating liquid to the upper pair of spray headers 41 through the upper connections 40 leading into said headers.

As best shown in FIG. 2, another valve 70, which is synchronized with the operation of the valve 67 by means that are not shown, controls the flow of rinse water through a connection 71 to the lower pair of headers 41a through the connections 40a leading thereinto. Said valve has a connection 72 to a source of such rinse Water.

The operation of the cylinders 49 and associated piston rods 53 is controlled by a mechanism indicated as a whole by the reference numeral 75 (FIG. I). Said mechanism 75 includes a rotary electric microswitch 76 and a magnetic change-over switch 77, which, in turn, controls fluid flow through connections 78, 79 and 80 through a suitable valve mechanism (not shown) Rotation of the rotary switch 76 controls the making and breaking of the circuit that includes the magnetic change-over switch 77 The connection 78 leads to a source of hydraulic or pneumatic fluid under pressure (not shown), while the connections 79 and 80 establish fluid flow communication with the connections 52 and 51, respectively, on each of the cylinders 49. Accordingly, by the operation of the rotary electric rnicroswitch 76, a fluid under pressure is admitted through either the upper connections 51 or the lower connections 52 to the upper or lower ends of the cylinders 49, to thereby lower or raise the piston rods 53 and the movable frames controlled thereby.

Operation At the start of the operation, the various elements of the apparatus above described are in the positions illustrated in FIGS. 1 and 2. An endless loop of fibrous strand material, indicated generally by the reference numeral 90, is moved over the free ends of the upper and lower rolls 1'9 and 27, respectively, of a pair of vertically aligned rolls to encircle said rolls and to be suspended thereby. Preferably the strands of the endless loop 90 are spread sufficiently to cause the endless loop 90 to occupy substantially the full length of the upper and lower rolls as limited inwardly by the collar or guide rings 91.

Assuming that the mercerization of cotton is to be carried out, the material of the endless loop 90 consists primarily of cotton fiber in the form of hanks of cotton yarn. In the case of the mercerization of cotton, the treating liquid used is a caustic soda solution of suitable conconcentration, a reservoir (not shown) of which is made avaliable for use in the manner about to be described. The only other liquid required is water for rinsing purposes, or a dilute water solution of acid for neutralizing purposes.

After draping the endless loop of cotton yarn over and around the rolls 19 and 27, mechanism 75 is set into operation to admit fluid under pressure through the connections 52 against the undersides of the pistons in the cylinders 49, to thereby raise the lower movable frames 15. At the same time, fluid under pressure is admitted through the upper connection 47 into the cylinder 46 above the piston therein to cause the piston and the rod 45, together with the movable platform 14, to be lowered. At the completion of these operations, the plate-like closure-forming members 28 pass through the position in which they are shown in FIG. 4 into complete closing and sealing relationship with the vessels 33 to close the open ends 35 thereof. The mechanisms effecting such closing relationship are so constructed and arranged as to cease the relative closing movement as soon as closure has been efiected.

At this stage of the process, the upper rolls 19 are set into motion revolving about their own axes by operation of the motors 21. Such rotation of each of the upper rolls 19, acting through the endless loop 90 as a belt, causes the corresponding lower rolls 27 also to be revolved. Regardless, however, of whether the lower rolls 27 are revolved, the strands of each endless loop 90 will be caused to move through the path defined by such loop by the rotation of the upper rolls 19 with which the strands are in functional contact, and this movement of the strands will continue so long as the upper rolls 19 are being driven.

With the vessels 33 sealed, and with the upper rolls 19 being driven by the motors 21, a caustic soda solution of proper strength is first led into the spraying heads 41a and discharged through the perforations 42 against opposite sides of the substantially vertical runs of the loop 90. The flow of such caustic soda solution is controlled by the magnetic valve 70 to continue for about one-half a minute. During this period only the valve 70 is open, while the other valve, 67, is closed. At the end of the half minute, after discharging all of the caustic soda solution remaining in the treating vessel, the valve 70 begins to close and the valve 67 to open. Rinse water is then allowed to flow through the valve 67 and the connections 40 into the upper spray headers 41 and out through the perforations 42 against the moving loop 90. During the washing operation and while the valve 67 is maintained in its open state, the water level in the vessel 33 cannot rise beyond the overflows 43 in said vessels, whereby a predetermined level of rinse water is maintained in the treating vessels. Washing of the yarn in the loop is completed as a result of the combined spraying and immersion of the yarn. These operations proceeds simultaneously over a period of about one-half minute.

During both the mercerizing step with the caustic soda solution and the rinsing step with water, a slight upward and downward relative movement of the lower rolls 27 with respect to the upper rolls 19 is effected through the operation of the cylinder 46. This is for the purpose of alternately stretching the yarn in the loop 90 and relaxing the tension imposed thereon. This alternate stretching and relaxing of the yarn facilitates the complete penetration of the soda solution or the rinse water throughout all of the fibers of the yarn. The end result is a mercerized cotton with a higher and more permanent luster.

The operations just described are carried out automatically by timed actuation of the various mechanisms described, including the rotary electric rnicroswitch 76, the magnetic switch 77, and the magnetically or cam-controlled valves 67 and 70. The timed sequence of the various steps of spraying with caustic soda solution and of spraying with rinse water, or a dilute aqueous acid solution, as controlled by the various valves referred to, as well as the dwell period required for the replacement of a fresh loop of yarn at the end of each operation, can be varied by varying the construction and/or contour of the control cams. Without any further detailed description of these control mechanisms, it will be understood that any suitable combination of stop valves and cam means of a conventional type can be used as the automatic control means for the system.

As previously pointed out, an important result of the use of my apparatus and process is that the treating liquid can be evenly and effectively applied to the loop of yarn or other strand material while suspended by the upper and lower rolls, and while the material of the loop is being subjected simultaneously to sprays of the treating liquid and to immersion in the treating liquid, and, further, while the strands are being subjected to alternate stretching and releasing actions. As a result, mercerized cotton yarn having a superior, durable and uniform luster, not heretofore obtainable, is produced.

While described in connection with the mercerization of cotton, my invention is nevertheless applicable to viscose staple fi'ber and rayon multifilament yarn, and by the use of a suitable treating liquid, cellulose fiber may be given a linenette finish as a result of an amylolytic reaction between the treating liquid and the cellulose of the fiber. Additionally, a polyvinyl alcohol fiber can be treated on my apparatus with a concentrated sulphuric acid solution, or silk can be subjected to a salt-shrinking treatment by the use of a concentrated solution ofcalcium nitrate or calcium acetate as the treating liquid.

Although various minor modifications might be suggested by those versed in the art, it should be understood that I wish to embody within the scope of the patent granted hereon all such embodiments as reasonably and properly come within the scope of my contribution to the art.

I claim as my invention:

1. Apparatus of the class described, comprising:

a pair of relatively vertically movable horizontally extending rolls,

a treating liquid receptacle below said rolls,

means for revolving said rolls about their respective axes,

means for introducing streams of treating liquid into said receptacle, and

means for relative vertical movement of the lower means are provided for controlling the relative movement of said rolls to alternately stretch and release tension from endless strand material looped about said pair of rolls.

3. Apparatus as defined in claim 1, wherein,

means are provided for maintaining a bath of, the treating liquid in said receptacle in which said lower roll can be immersed.

4. Apparatus as defined in claim 1, wherein,

the liquid treating receptacle is provided with upwardly divergent sidewalls and is closed at one end and open at the other, and v said lower of said rolls has fixedly associated therewith a closure plate so arranged and configured as to close said open end of said receptacle when said lower of said rolls is lowered thereinto.

5. Apparatus for treating endless looped strand material, which comprises:

a stationary mounting means,

an upper driven roll carried by said mounting means,

a vertically movable mounting means,

a lower roll carried by said movable mounting means and movable therewith relative to said driven roll, said rolls being supported from corresponding ends in cantilever fashion with their other ends free to facilitate the endwise placing over said rolls of endless looped strand material for suspension by said rolls,

an open-ended liquid treating receptacle beneath said lower roll, and

a closure member carried by said lower roll adapted to be sealingly received by said receptacle to close said open end.

6. Apparatus as defined by claim 5, wherein,

means are provided for rotating said upper roll about its axis, and other means are provided for movement of said movable mounting means to alternately tension and release from tension the looped strand material suspended by said rolls.

7. Apparatus as defined by claim 6, wherein,

means are provided for delivering the treating liquid against said suspended looped strand material for collection in said receptacle when the open end thereof is closed.

8. Apparatus for treating endless loops of fibrousstrand material which comprises:

a plurality of horizontally extending upper rolls,

a stationary mounting for said rolls,

a plurality of horizontally extending lower rolls vertically aligned with said upper rolls,

a vertically movable mounting for said lower' rolls,

said upper and lower rolls being mounted from said respective mountings in cantilever fashion to leave free the other ends of said rolls for receiving and suspending said loops,

liquid receiving receptacles below said lower rolls movable into position for receiving said lower rolls,

means for spraying streams of liquid against said suspended loops when said lower rolls are received within said receptacles, and for filling said receptacles to a roll-immersing level, and

means synchronously arranged for effecting movement of said movable mounting means to alternately stretch and release from tension said loops while being sprayed and immersed.

9. Apparatus as defined by claim 8, wherein,

said receptacles are open-ended and said lower rolls carry therewith plates for sealingly closing said open ends of said receptacles when said lower rolls are received in said receptacles.

10. Apparatus as defined by claim 9, wherein,

said upper rolls are rotatably driven to effect movement of said loops of strand material about said rolls and into and out of the paths of said streams and into and out of immersion in said liquid. 11. Apparatus as defined by claim 10, wherein, means are provided for synchronizing the relative vertical movements of said upper and lower rolls and said receptacles and the delivery of said treating liquid and its withdrawal from said receptacle.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 733,412 10/1904 Naudin 6862 789,260 5/ 1905 Crompton et al 6862 1,037,461 9/1919 Fincato 68206 1,844,799 2/ 1932 Schroeder 68-62 X IRVING BUNEVICH, Primary Examiner. 

1. APPARATUS OF THE CLASS DESCRIBED, COMPRISING: A PAIR OF RELATIVELY VERTICALLY MOVABLE HORIZONTALLY EXTENDING ROLLS, A TREATING LIQUID RECEPTACLE BELOW SAID ROLLS, MEANS FOR REVOLVING SAID ROLLS ABOUT THEIR RESPECTIVE AXES, MEANS FOR INTRODUCING STREAMS OF TREATING LIQUID INTO SAID RECEPTACLE, AND MEANS FOR RELATIVE VERTICAL MOVEMENT OF THE LOWER OF SAID ROLLS COMPLETELY INTO AND OUT OF SAID RECEPTACLE IN THE PATH OF SAID TREATING LIQUID STREAMS. 